By Benjamin Ramos Rosado, http://Sofritoinmysoul.blogspot.com
The Irish believe that at end of
every rainbow there’s a Leprechaun sitting hammering a shoe, with the knowledge
of where you can find a pot of gold.
Well, I’m no Leprechaun, but I know if you walk to the end of W. 181th
St. and Cabrini Blvd. you’ll find an amazing Irish restaurant, called Le Chéile
(pronounced Leh Kay-lah), where the food is as good as gold!
Le Chéile (which is Gaelic for
together) is an Irish pub and restaurant in Washington Heights with an eclectic
menu that features American, Italian, and authentic Irish cuisine. The space
features a pub on the left, restaurant seating on the right and a second floor
with additional restaurant seating. Each table is covered with butcher paper
and a small jar of crayons is provided so you can doodle and draw as you wait
for your dishes.
As I waited for my menu, I noticed
the diversity of people dining at Le Chéile. I heard Southern accents talking
on cell phones; families chatting in Spanish; and a set of five joyful Irish
accents sitting next to me. It was good to know members of the Irish community
eat at Le Chéile and enjoy the food; it gave the restaurant more “street cred.”
I overheard one of the Irish
patrons ordering the Bachelor’s Irish Beans with Toast, a classic Irish pub
appetizer. Suddenly, I had a brilliant idea! Being relatively ignorant about
Irish cuisine, I decided to eavesdrop on their orders and if they ordered Irish
entrees I would look them up in the menu, and order whatever I thought sounded
interesting. I assumed, if Irish people
ate there, they would probably order Irish food. I know this makes me sound like a nosy food stalker, but who
better to teach me about Irish cuisine then Irish people?
When my server appeared with my
menu, I ordered a beverage and the Bachelor’s Irish Beans with Toast. She seemed a bit surprised that I ordered
without looking at the menu, but nodded and smiled! Le Chéile’s wait staff is
nice and accommodating, but the service is slow. I found it very strange that during the height of dinnertime,
there was only one server for all of us on the second floor.
As I waited for my order, I
looked over the menu, but kept my ears glued to the Irish patrons’
conversations. They mostly talked about
work and their relationships; I struck gold, when one of the men asked everyone
what they were going to order.
My assumption was right! The Irish patrons ordered primarily from the
traditional Irish section of the menu, which includes: The Bangers and Mash
(Irish sausage with mashed potatoes and beans); the Shepherd’s Pie (spiced
ground beef with vegetables topped with crispy mashed potatoes served with
greens); the traditional Irish stew (fresh beef and vegetables in a hearty
sauce); the Fish and Chips (beer battered fillet with fries served with their
house tartar sauce); and the Dublin Chicken Curry (Irish yellow curry with chicken
over seasoned rice).
Le Chéile’s menu also features
appetizers such as: Fried Calamari, Chicken wings and homemade mozzarella
sticks. Their salad section features:
Cobb salad, mixed greens, and Caesar salad.
Their Sammies section (Burgers and sandwiches) features: A Steak
sandwich, veggie burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches. Their entrée section includes: Grilled
Steak, Chicken Parmesan, and Blackened Skate fish. They have wonderful farmer’s side dishes as well: Beets,
Broccoli, green beans, mushrooms, and green peas.
When my appetizer arrived, I
placed my dinner order-the Bangers with Mash and the Shepherd’s Pie- and began
eating. The Bachelor’s Irish Beans was
simple, sweet and good; it consisted of a bowl of white beans in a spiced
tomato sauce with pieces of toasted hero bread. When I added a pinch of salt
and pepper, the flavors opened up even more.
A few minutes later, my server
brought my dinner along with the Irish patrons’ orders. One of the Irishmen closest to me (a white
haired bearded old man with a huge head) noticed we ordered the same dinner,
smiled and said, “Cheers, good dinnah ta’yah!”
I thanked him; wished them all a good meal; and started my dinner.
The Bangers with Mash was
wonderful! The Irish sausage-made of finely ground pork, egg, and
seasonings-was soft, flavorful, and had a wonderful char to it! The mashed potatoes were creamy and buttery
and the beans were as good as they were in the appetizer.
The Shepherd’s Pie was also
delicious. The crispy mashed potato topping
was a wonderful accompaniment to the seasoned beef and vegetables
underneath! It was an excellent blend
of savory flavors with rich buttery sweetness.
The mixed greens were crisp and tasty, but a bit over dressed.
I didn’t think I had room for dessert
until I looked over the dessert menu and my sweet tooth took over! The dessert menu features: Homemade Apple
pie (served a la mode), Ice Cream sandwiches (2 oatmeal raisin cookies and
vanilla ice cream), and Banana Foster (vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, brandy
flambé, and whipped cream).
Intrigued by the Banana Foster, I
ordered one and it was wonderful! The sweetness of the ice cream, whipped cream
and banana slices combined with the deep richness of the brandy Flambé and
cinnamon, make this an incredible dessert. Despite how heavy it may sound, it
was actually light and refreshing.
With a fun atmosphere, excellent
food and interesting art, Le Chéile is an Irish secret that needs to be
shared! So go to Washington heights and
follow the rainbow (down W. 181st and Cabrini Blvd.) to this amazing
Irish pot of gold.
Le Chéile
839 W 181st St
(between Pinehurst Ave & Cabrini Blvd)
New York, NY 10033
(212) 740-3111
HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 11am-Midnight, Sat.-Sun. 4pm-Midnight
ATMOSPHERE: Very
cool and laid back.
SERVICE: Slow.
SOUND LEVEL: Conversational.
KID FRIENDLY: Yes,
kid friendly
RECOMMENDED DISHES: See the article above.
BEVERAGES: Soda,
Coffee, Tea, Irish Coffee, Iced tea, Barry’s Irish tea, Mexican Hot Chocolate
($1.50-7pm)
